Hronek has established himself as a top-four defenseman in Detroit and Cole, who is 34 and could start on a top pairing with Hughes, was effective playing top-four minutes for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season. But Soucy, 29, has played mostly on a third pairing, including with the Seattle Kraken the past two seasons, and will likely face tougher opponents in Vancouver. While his defensive game holds up, questions remain about his ability to transition the puck.
